The event is free for spectators, with plenty of parking, seating, and easy access from North Mill St., just 2 miles from downtown Naperville. The competition will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. The Ashley Whippet Last Chance Qualifier will be held on Saturday and the Ashley Whippet K-9 Frisbee World Championship will take place on Sunday. This event is made possible by the sponsors who are listed on the poster below.

Tom Wehrli, disc dog enthusiast and organizer of the Ashley Whippet event, said that Naperville Park District has hosted K-9 Frisbee competitions for over 15 years. “The World Championships rotate locations and return to Naperville every few years. We will welcome teams from China, Japan and Canada this year. Although Nike Sports Complex is a new location for us this year, we hope that people will visit both Last Fling and make the short drive to see these amazing dogs compete.”

Naperville as a Home Base for Canine Frisbee®
Tom Wehrli and his wife, Chris have been involved with dog disc competitions for decades and have created a local museum in their home and online capturing the unique history of K-9 Frisbee competitions. The Ashley Whippet Museum is packed with Frisbees®, lined with posters from international events, and full of memorabilia of famous disc dogs, starting with Ashley Whippet himself. In short, Ashley Whippet was a canine Frisbee® superstar who inspired the launch of the sport by his extraordinary performance with his owner, Alex Stein, during an L.A. Dodgers game in 1974. Read the full story here.

“Alex Stein will be here in Naperville at the championships to sign autographs and cheer on these world class competitors,” said Wehrli.

Tom Wehrli at the Ashley Whippet Museum in Naperville

Commemorative discs line the walls and ceiling

The Lander Cup (the “Stanley Cup” of K-9 Frisbee® World Championships)

The Wehrlis have trained and raised 14 dogs over the years, all of whom were rescued. “And in the disc dog sport, 75% of the dogs who compete have been rescued. Stories abound. We have traveled the world because of a piece of plastic and a dog.”

Naperville Park District’s Frisbee® Golf Course

Naperville also is a destination for the human sport of disc golf, with an 18-hole disc golf course at Knoch Knolls Park. Tom Wehrli and Disc Golf Hall of Fame member Gary Lewis collaborated with the Naperville Park District to design the course, which was expanded from 9 to 18 holes in 2015. The course is free and open year round, with parking, restrooms and a drinking fountain available at the nearby Knoch Knolls Nature Center.

Tom Wehrli and Gary Lewis were among the crowd at the dedication of the 18-hole disc golf course in 2015

“Our disc golf course is one of the most used courses in Illinois,” said Tom Wehrli. “It’s a thrill to have it here. Our international visitors for the Ashley Whippet championships want to play there if there is time.”

Attendees at the dedication practice throwing to the target

Ultimate Frisbee®
In recent years, the sport of Ultimate Frisbee® has surged in popularity. The Park District offers Ultimate Frisbee® camps and programs year round. The next available camp will take place during winter break 2017-2018 and registration is already underway.

Connect your business’s brand with a well-known and respected one like the Naperville
Park District’s and reach a large, active and diverse audience.

To learn more about our sponsorship opportunities contact Stacey Fontechia Sales and Sponsorship Manager at 630-848-3575 or at sfontechia@napervilleparks.org.

Looking for an opportunity to have a positive impact on people’s lives while building a fun and dynamic career? Consider the Naperville Park District! It takes all kinds of skills, knowledge and talent to serve the recreation needs of the Naperville community. If you’re passionate about the outdoors, staying active, having fun and encouraging others to do the same, then check out our part-time and full-time career opportunities.

Funds raised through the Naperville Parks Foundation support the Naperville Park District’s Fee Assistance Program. The Naperville Parks Foundation supports the recreation needs and desires of the residents of Naperville – encouraging health and wellness, fitness, family time, and fun. The Foundation supports the mission of making recreation of all kinds accessible to everyone across the community, regardless of socioeconomic circumstances.

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On Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2011 Naperville Park District officials heard the good news for which they have been waiting for many months: the District has achieved national accreditation through the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA).

The decision was announced at the NRPA national conference in Atlanta following a formal hearing before the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA).

Naperville is only the second park district in Illinois to earn this distinction and the 104th nationally accredited agency in the nation; there are more than 10,000 recreation agencies in the United States. The Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies accredits a handful of park agencies each year that have completed a multi-step process involving a self-review by the agency, a site visit, and an evaluation and formal report by the Commission.

“We are extremely proud to bring this honor to Naperville,” said Park District Executive Director Ray McGury. “It’s an affirmation of our high standards and also an encouragement to continue bringing high quality recreation and parks experiences to our community.”

The Park District’s accreditation process began approximately one year ago and included an extensive self-evaluation by staff and a 5-day visit from CAPRA reviewers this past July. Maintaining the accreditation requires annual reports and 5- and 10-year reviews.

Park District staff members noted that the CAPRA process has helped them see the big picture, focus on long term goals and plans, review plans more regularly, organize documents so that they are accessible and useable, and collaborate more effectively with other departments and outside organizations.

Our Mission

We provide recreation and park experiences that promote healthy lives, healthy minds and a healthy community.

Our VisionTo be a national leader in parks and recreation providing and promoting high quality experiences and facilities at a great value to our community.